Breaking the Silence on Suicide in Business – Baton of Hope Derby

There is a quiet paradox at the heart of many entrepreneurial journeys. The glittering façade of success, boardrooms, brands, and accolades, can mask an internal struggle no one sees. We mourn leaders who illuminated the world, yet quietly slipped into darkness. Among them:

• Kate Spade, the designer who turned handbags into joyful statements, battled depression and anxiety even as her brand became iconic. Her passing in June 2018 reminded us that even the brightest lights sometimes fracture internally.
• Paul Rawlinson, a prominent British lawyer and Global Chair at Baker McKenzie, tragically took his own life in April 2019. His loss showed that professional heights offer no immunity from silent despair.
• Scot Young, the Scottish property developer caught in a tumultuous media storm during a financial and personal collapse, fell to his death in 2014. His downward spiral was as much internal as it was public.

These stories are not just headlines, they are raw reminders that leadership and fragility can co-exist.

Carrying the Light: The Baton of Hope Arrives in Derby

On Saturday 13 September 2025, Derby becomes part of something bigger. The Baton of Hope, the largest suicide prevention initiative in the UK, will tour Derby and Derbyshire, lighting a path for conversation, remembrance, and community strength.

Born from grief, created by fathers who had lost sons to suicide, the Baton of Hope began as a national tour in 2023. It has since grown into a movement, with workplace pledges, local chapters, and grassroots support across the country.

The Derby and Derbyshire group has been built by bereaved families, volunteers, and supporters who have placed suicide prevention at the heart of local life. On the day, the baton will travel across the city and county, stopping at landmarks including Elvaston Castle, University of Derby, Darley Park, Derbyshire Cricket Ground, and Pride Park. Each stop will be alive with music, stalls, conversations, and resources – turning remembrance into action.

Voices That Refuse Silence

Alongside those we have lost, there are those still here who have bravely spoken about their struggles.

• Peter Marples, a respected business leader, has shared his story to help others see that vulnerability is not weakness.
• Rob Spence, who has attempted to take his own life, now speaks openly about his experience and recovery.

Their courage proves that speaking out is an act of leadership. It shows others that mental health challenges can touch anyone, no matter how strong they seem from the outside. Through my own work with Leaders in Disguise, I have seen how breaking the stigma of mental health and wellbeing in leadership changes lives. When leaders speak honestly, they give permission for others to do the same.

Why This Matters to Entrepreneurs

We build, we hustle, we lead – but in the hustle, we forget that being strong does not mean never feeling broken. Events like the Baton of Hope are more than symbolic, they are lifelines.

• They cut through the silence.
• They normalise speaking up.
• They show that hope is not passive, it is a movement carried one step, one baton, one story at a time.

How You Can Help

This September 13, I will be one of the baton bearers in Derby, carrying memory and possibility together. I am honoured to play my part, but the journey is bigger than me.

If you would like to support, please visit my JustGiving page (click here). Every donation goes toward suicide prevention and mental health support, helping ensure fewer families face the pain of loss.

My Final Thought

In business, in leadership, in life, we often miss the tender threads of sorrow. But memory is a kind of power, and action is a form of love. Carrying the baton is not just an honour, it is a responsibility – to those we have lost, to those still struggling, and to the generations to come.

Let us build a future where leaders can speak openly, where support is not hidden in shadows, and where success and vulnerability can coexist without shame. This is what the Baton of Hope stands for, and this is what we will carry forward in Derby and beyond.